Which Fats Are Good for Your Heart?

 

Know your fats. Eat these, not those.

Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, but not all fats are created equal. Do you know which fats should be included in a heart-healthy diet and which ones to avoid? 

To separate fact from fiction, here are answers to some common questions about different types of fat found in foods and whether you’re better off eating them or finding healthier alternatives.

Are foods like salmon, flaxseeds and walnuts heart-healthy even though they are high in fat?

• Yes: These foods are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower triglycerides and reduce inflammation. Making these foods a part of your diet is good for your heart.

Should avocados be avoided if you’re following a heart-healthy diet because they contain a lot of fat?

• No: While avocados contain a small amount of saturated fat, which is not good for your heart, they are rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that these types of fats help lower serum cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Should you limit or avoid foods with saturated or trans fats?

• Yes: Saturated and trans fats raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and are not considered heart-healthy.  It’s best to limit these types of fats, found primarily in red meat, full-fat dairy and processed foods like crackers and cookies, as much as possible.

Is it easy to avoid trans fat by reading the Nutrition Facts section on food labels?

• No: Food companies are only required to list trans fat in the Nutrition Facts if there is 0.5 grams or more per serving. To avoid trans fat completely, read the ingredient list and look for ingredients such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.

How Your Heart and Mental Health Are Connected

 

The effect your mental health has on your heart health – and vice versa – is stronger than you think.

Did you ever think about whether your mental health has an impact on your risk of developing heart disease? Or how the health of your heart might affect your mental health? It may not be a connection that you think about often, but research shows that there is more of a relationship between your heart health and mental health than you may realize.

Here are some ways that your mental health may affect your heart health:

• If you’re feeling sad, depressed or anxious, you may turn to unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking, eating unhealthy foods or being sedentary. These habits can negatively affect your heart health.
• If you experience stress, anxiety, depression or PTSD, it may cause physiologic effects on the body, such as increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, reduced blood flow to the heart and higher cortisol levels. These can all contribute to heart disease and a buildup of calcium in the arteries.
• Chronic stress can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Social isolation and loneliness can also put you at a higher risk of experiencing serious heart issues.
• Research is increasingly showing that biological and chemical factors that trigger mental health issues may also influence heart disease, according to the American Heart Association®.
• Mental health issues may increase the chances that people with heart disease don’t take their medications or follow doctor recommendations to manage their condition.

And here’s how your heart health may affect your mental health:

• Experiencing a heart attack, heart failure or stroke can cause anxiety or depression. This can be due to being fearful about your health or feeling sad that you may no longer be able to do things you used to do. It may also arise from financial concerns brought on by the cardiac event. By affecting your mental health negatively, you may not have the energy or desire to do the things you need to do to regain your strength and health, such as eating healthy or exercising, making it harder to fully recover.

Studies show that some people are at a greater risk of developing heart disease as a result of pre-existing mental health disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To protect your heart health, it is helpful to talk to your doctors about any potential heart conditions that may be affected by your mental health disorder and what you can do to lower your risk.

If you have heart disease or have experienced a cardiac event, it is also important to monitor your feelings and tell your doctor if you think your mental health has been affected. It is not uncommon for people with heart-related conditions to have issues with their mental health and the best thing you can do if this occurs is to get help in treating the problem.

Here Are 7 Signs You Might Have Heart Failure

 

Don’t ignore these common symptoms of this serious heart condition.

The term heart failure may conjure up fear because it sounds like the heart is not working at all. But having the condition doesn’t mean your heart no longer works – it means it’s not working as well as it should. With proper medical treatment and lifestyle changes, the effects of heart failure can typically be managed so people can continue to live full and enjoyable lives.

What is heart failure?

In people who have heart failure, the heart isn’t pumping as well as it should due to a weakened pumping ability or because the walls of the heart have become thicker. That means that the heart can’t supply enough oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to cells throughout the body. The heart may become enlarged or the heart may pump faster to try to keep up with the body’s demand for blood.

What are the signs that you may have heart failure?

Here are some of the most common symptoms of heart failure. You may not experience these symptoms during early stages of heart failure as your heart and body compensate for the heart’s inability to pump blood efficiently enough. That’s why it’s a good idea to get regular check-ups. If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor because diagnosis and treatment is the best way to manage heart failure:

1. Shortness of breath – You may be short of breath during activity or even at rest. Some people find it difficult to breathe when sleeping and may need to prop their head up on a few pillows to breathe more easily.
2. Excessive coughing – Due to fluid build-up in the lungs, you may cough a lot or wheeze. Coughing may be accompanied by white or pink (blood-tinged) mucus.
3. Swelling – You may retain fluid throughout your body (edema), especially in your feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, hands or fingers. This causes swelling and may result in weight gain.
4. Fatigue – Because the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of all of the body’s tissues, you may be tired when doing everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs or shopping. You may also feel tired after eating or may experience persistent fatigue all the time.
5. Increased heart rate – Your heart may beat faster to try to make up for the loss of pumping capacity. This may cause you to have palpitations, which feels like your heart is racing or throbbing.
6. Digestive issues – Since the digestive system may not receive enough blood, you may have little appetite or feel nauseous or sick to your stomach. You may also not absorb enough nutrients when eating.
7. Confusion – Reduced blood flow to the brain may result in confusion, disorientation, impaired thinking or memory loss. You may also feel lightheaded, dizzy or even faint.

Although there is no cure for heart failure, medications and healthy lifestyle habits can help people live full lives with the condition. The earlier heart failure is diagnosed, the more effective treatment is, so don’t ignore symptoms if you have them.

This Is What a Heart Attack Really Feels Like

 

In real life, heart attack symptoms are usually more subtle than what you see in movies.

Hollywood may have you believe that it’s very obvious when someone has a heart attack. After all, in movies and on television, people having heart attacks often clutch their chests as their faces show them experiencing sudden and excruciating pain. Then they theatrically fall to the ground. But in real life, a heart attack is rarely that dramatic and the symptoms may be far less obvious.

Instead of ignoring any symptoms you have because they don’t conjure up Oscar-worthy performances of what you think a heart attack should look like, here are the more likely signs that you may be having a heart attack. If you experience these symptoms, take them seriously and seek medical help right away.

Real-Life Signs of a Heart Attack

Heart attack symptoms may be severe, but they may also be mild and subtle. In some cases, a person may not even realize they’re having a heart attack. Here are signs to look out for:

• Chest pressure or tightness. Some people describe this feeling as if an elephant is sitting on their chest.
• Pain on the left side of the body. You may experience pain in your chest that radiates down your left arm or into the left side of your jaw. You may also have pain in your neck, shoulder, abdomen or back.
• Heartburn or indigestion-like symptoms. It is common for heart attack symptoms to be similar to those of heartburn or acid reflux. If your pain and discomfort are accompanied by sweating or shortness of breath, or if they persist after taking a heartburn remedy, get medical attention right away.
• Shortness of breath. Some people may only experience shortness of breath without any real chest pain or tightness. This makes it difficult to tell if it’s a heart attack or if the shortness of breath is caused by another condition but it should not be ignored.
• Fatigue, nausea and sweating. These symptoms are often attributed to something else, especially if they are not accompanied by chest pain. Women, who are less likely to have obvious signs of a heart attack such as chest pain and indigestion-like symptoms, are more likely to experience these subtle symptoms.

What should you do if you have any of these symptoms?

If you have any of these potential heart attack symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention right away. Do not drive yourself to the hospital, however. Even if you think you feel well enough to drive, your symptoms may get worse on the way. Instead, call 911 or have someone drive you to the emergency room immediately.

Can you have a heart attack and not know it?

It is possible to have a heart attack and not even know you had it. When this happens, it may be because it is a mild heart attack that doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms. But more often there are subtle symptoms that occur that may not be attributed to a heart attack so medical treatment is not sought. Sometimes a person may realize the symptoms they’re feeling could be due to a heart attack but they decide to ignore their symptoms, hoping they’ll just go away.

Any heart attack, no matter how minor, may cause damage to the heart so it is important to not ignore symptoms. Getting treatment as soon as possible once a heart attack starts is your best chance of minimizing any damage to the heart muscle and making a full recovery.